Lawmakers in California passed a bill on Thursday banning most local and federal law enforcement officers from covering their faces during operations, including immigration enforcement.

Senate Bill 627, known as the No Secret Police Act, was introduced by Democratic state Sens. Scott Wiener of San Francisco and Jesse Arreguin of Berkeley in June after immigration operations ramped up across the state as part of President Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration. The bill will now head to Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk for final approval. 

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Former Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín and current California state senator for Senate District 7, finishes up his first legislative session in about two weeks. Since entering the Senate in December 2024, Arreguín has introduced more than 20 bills and became the first freshman senator to chair two committees, according to his press secretary, Stefan Elgstrand.

In addition to pushing back against President Donald Trump’s administration, Elgstrand noted Arreguín’s work in passing legislation, including Senate Bill 81 and Assembly Bill 49. These bills offer more protections and privacy from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, agents to individuals in health care and school settings.  

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On Tuesday, a bill that would limit ICE access in healthcare facilities passed the legislature and now heads to the Governor's desk. State Senator Jesse Arreguín authored the bill.

"So this is absolutely critical, because it's happening right now," Arreguín said.

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State Senator Jesse Arreguín introduced the legislation to cover all forms of generative AI use in police report writing. Under the proposed law, any AI-generated report would need to include a disclosure at the bottom of each page. Additionally, departments would have to preserve the original AI draft and maintain an “audit trail” showing the body camera footage or audio used to create the report.

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The bill, co-sponsored by Jesse Arreguin, D-Berkeley, would also require officers be identifiable by their uniform. It would exempt SWAT teams and permit the use of medical-grade masks and those used to protect workers during emergencies like wildfires.

“This bill will ensure that law enforcement are easily identifiable, maintaining that trust and accountability," Arreguin said in a statement.

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The legislation would also require officers "to be identifiable via their uniform, whether with name or other identifier," according to Democratic Sens. Scott Wiener of San Francisco and Jesse Arreguin of Berkeley, who introduced Senate Bill 627, also known as the "No Secret Police Act."

"This law is rooted in two principles. One, to protect the safety of California's communities. And two, to ensure that there is transparency and accountability for law enforcement," Arreguin said.

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) condemned the California proposal to ban law enforcement officers from covering their faces when interacting with the public.

The DHS post responded directly to Wiener’s announcement of new legislation, the No Secret Police Act (SB627), which he unveiled with fellow state Sen. Jesse Arreguin (D).

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Democratic state Senators Scott Wiener of San Francisco and Jesse Arreguin of Oakland announced Monday that they will introduce SB 627, a bill that would prohibit local, state, and federal law enforcement officers from concealing their faces during interactions with the public.

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State Senators Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Jesse Arreguin (D-Berkeley) are introducing Senate Bill 627, called the “No Secret Police Act,” to the state legislature. If passed, it would prohibit law enforcement from concealing their identity with a face covering, such as a gator.

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Wiener and Assembly Public Safety Committee Chair Jesse Arreguín, D-Oakland, are backing legislation called the "No Secret Police Act." The bill would prohibit officers operating in California from concealing their identities by covering their faces.

"What we have been seeing in the last few weeks are law enforcement -- some local, some federal -- who are wearing masks to completely hide their faces while they are carrying out deportation and other enforcement activities," Arreguín said.

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But under a new state bill from two Bay Area lawmakers, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers and others would have to identify themselves while working in California. The legislation introduced Monday by state Sens. Scott Wiener (D–San Francisco) and Jesse Arreguín (D–Berkeley) would prevent police at all levels from covering their faces with masks or balaclavas while working — and would require them to be identifiable via uniform.

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